Cross Country Boosters Stay On The Run At Solehi

October 22, 1992|by RICKI STEIN, The Morning Call

Football, basketball and wrestling booster clubs are so popular, people take their existence for granted. But how many cross country booster clubs would you guess are working for high school running teams?

Not too many, for sure.

At Southern Lehigh High School, the cross country booster club has been raising money, holding picnics, giving scholarships and helping at meets for almost 20 years. Coach Brian Souerwine is proud of and thankful for the group's efforts.

"For a small group, it's very active," said Souerwine, in his 22nd year at the helm.

The booster club originated in the middle 1970s because of the running shoe industry, Souerwine said. In the 1960s and early '70s, when there was only one running shoe model to choose, schools supplied team members' shoes.

"When people discovered that not every kid could wear the same shoe, the school stopped buying what were becoming expensive shoes," said Souerwine. "The booster club raised money to buy the kids shoes."

The club no longer buys shoes, but it does organize a number of other worthwhile events.

This afternoon, club members will officiate the Colonial League Championship Meet at Allentown College. Joan Demkee and some other mothers will tally team scores. Some parents will clock runners at the finish line.

"Sometimes it gets hectic, but Mr. Souerwine has a very organized system," Mrs. Demkee said of the color coded scoring system.

On Saturday, the parents group will host a new event, Run with the Principal. High school principal John Squarcia, who runs every day, came up with the idea to promote physical fitness among his students. He asked the cross country booster club to organize the 3.1-mile run. Alumni and parents are encouraged to run. Any student who beats Squarcia will get a free slice of pizza.

At the end of every October, the booster club hosts a 1.5-mile run for middle school students to introduce them to the sport of cross country.

At the beginning of August, the cross country team's families meet for a kickoff picnic and the booster club's only organization meeting of the year.

"Because it's such a short season, we try to organize everything in one shot," said current President Rich Harlan, whose wife Carolyn also puts in many hours with the club. "We're such a small group, that it's easy to organize everybody. We don't mind putting out the effort, especially because it's something that lasts maybe six weeks. It's not like a football season that lasts over three months."

This year's teams consist of 14 boys, 10 girls and two managers. Parents of all but a few students are involved. Those who can, take time off from work to help at dual and championship meets. Those who cannot help at meets do other jobs.

Before every home meet for instance, a parent goes to the IGA in Coopersburg to pick up donated fruit. At the end of the season, the parents present a free banquet of homemade lasagna, bread, salad and cake for the runners and their families. At the banquet, the club presents awards to the most improved and most promising runners. In years when the team has won a championship, the club presented jackets. Runners get long-sleeved T-shirts. And two scholarships of $150 each ($200 this year) is presented to a senior boy and girl.

In June, club members organize the Coopersburg 5-Mile run. They also sell refreshments at home track meets and sell pizzas to raise funds.

The Harlans and Demkees have been the mainstay of the club for the past eight years, Souerwine said. Each had a son who was part of the team for four years and now their two daughters, Tara and Liz, are seniors on the team.

"We're there to support the team," said Joan Demkee, a former booster club president and treasurer. Her husband, Ron, also helps. "Cross country is a sport where you move from one spot to another to watch. It's not the greatest spectator sport but we've had a lot of fun with it.

"Southern Lehigh is a great team to work with and Brian is a wonderful coach. It's nice to work with the high school kids. They can work for themselves and for the team. It's a real discipline."